Vernon's new library could be done a year from now, if the weather cooperates. That's was the word from John Hiebert of Task Construction at today's groundbreaking for the 12.6 million dollar facility at 2808 30th Avenue. He expects up to 70 percent of the labour and supplies will be local. "While we don't set up discounts for local, we don't disadvantage local. In fact, we encourage local hire, and that's what we aim to do." Hiebert says up to 80 workers could be on the site at peak times. Okanagan Regional Library board chair Ted Bacigalupo says it's taken ten years to get to this point."Like anything, it's cost a little more now than it would have ten years ago, but nevertheless, we've achieved the goal, and I want to extend my thanks to all of those that participated in the process." 
The new branch will be 30,000 square feet, more than double the size of the current library. Head librarian Maureen Curry says a new facility has been in the plans for a long time. "I'm really excited to see we've finally come to the beginning of a new branch. We've waited a long time for this and it's really exciting to see it actually happening. We can hardly wait." Curry says staff will be happy to have the extra space to expand service and provide a more complete library experience for the users. Vernon councillor Shawn Lee says the library will be part of a new look for that part of the downtown, with the 25th Avenue extension just to the west. "If you looked at the drawings, there's going to be a really nice little plaza look to this end of downtown. It's going to be a really lovely entrance to downtown." John Hiebert says excavation work will take 2 to 3 weeks to complete, and then the foundations will be put in. "Foundations and vertical elements like walls and columns don't take a lot of heat, so winter isn't that much of a factor for that type of work." The interior of the library, and some of the exterior features, are still under design. The city sold the site to the ORL for ten dollars.Photo: Local politicians stand beside drawing of new library at groundbreaking ceremony. L-R Maria Besso Coldstream councillor, Ted Bacigalupo ORL chair, Mike Macnabb NORD Area C director, Shawn Lee Vernon councillor (P.McIntyre)
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